WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)-- Months after the debate began Wilmington's position on breweries is headed to city council for a vote.

The Wilmington planning commission approved amendments to the city's zoning regulations to include breweries.

By now supporters of these changes thought they would already have been approved by city council.

If that happens it won’t take place until next month's Wilmington City Council meeting.

At issue, how to define breweries for the purpose of land zoning.

The Wilmington Planning Commission voted to add brewery specific language to the code.

Folks hoping to open up stand-alone small breweries could now do so outside of industrial areas of the city including downtown Wilmington.

Supporters are thrilled.

“I think that this is going to be an easy decision for the city council,” said John Hennant, a commercial real estate broker in Wilmington. “I think that we're going to see new announcements, new investments, new opportunities occur as a result of the change.”

Support is no doubt behind the brewery folks though. During this entire process, no one has spoken out against the idea in any of their public hearings.

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